"MEN! We must stand and protect our home," declared a man in his early thirties, with messy brown hair and deep black eyes.

"B-But, we can't kill that thing," interjected another from the side.

"Hush, coward!" exclaimed a fellow with tears welling in his eyes. "I stand with you, Rowan. I'll assist in killing that thing, or die trying…" He lowered his head, wiping away the tears. "...For my family."

Seeing the determination of this man and his will to avenge the death of his family, the others in the gathering felt a pang of shame. Despite his old age and frailty, he refused to succumb to despair.

With shame came a surge of motivation; none of the fifteen men wanted to face their families in the afterlife without at least attempting to mete out justice against this monster.

"Very well... prepare yourselves," Rowan, the man who had rallied this small group of survivors, nodded with a somber expression.

He swiftly turned, descending underground where the surviving villagers sought refuge in the stables. Given the village's history of monster attacks, underground shelters had been constructed for the safety of the children, women, and elders in case of a breach.

"Is it time?" Three women stood at the shelter door, the one in the middle inquired.

Rowan nodded, passing each of them something wrapped in a piece of cloth. The woman in the middle, the same one who had delivered food to Aron and the girls unwrapped the cloth revealing a small knife.

"If we fail, you know what to do."

She covered the knife again, concealing it in her sleeve, and the other two followed suit.

"We do," the three responded in unison.

"Good, now go"

The women bowed slightly, opening the shelter door. Rowan glimpsed the surviving villagers—children, women, elders, and the injured.

He closed his eyes, unwilling to look at their faces until he heard the door close, with wooden beams securing it from the inside.

Rowan turned back but halted for a final glance at the door. "Forgive me, but I can't allow that monster to claim you."

With heavy steps, Rowan ascended back to the surface, thoughts burdened by the weight of responsibility. 'That monster appeared right where my brother's house is.'

"Is it done?" The determined group of men gathered around Rowan; one of them inquired.

'Please, Brother, prove me wrong.' Taking a deep breath.

"Yes. Now, we cannot fail, or Oakridge will be no more."

The men nodded, comprehending the gravity if they were to fail.

"Let's go."

Armed with bows and axes, they exited the stable, each carrying a hefty barrel on his back.

…

WEIII!

The distorted cry of the baby-headed monster reverberated in the area, instilling growing fear in the hearts of the men with every step they took toward it.

"Steady yourselves!"

Rowan and the men, their faces somber yet resolute, continued their advance toward the malevolent entity threatening to consume Oakridge. Each step carried the weight of their determination and the burden of the lives they aimed to protect.

Appearing far behind the unwanted. Rowan and the men sought cover behind a still-standing building.

"Let me check first," he whispered to the others, opening the back door and stealthily entering. He moved carefully, crawling to avoid being heard or seen.

Approaching a small window, Rowan took a deep breath and peered outside. What he saw astonished him.

"UGAAHH!"

WEIII!

A strange woman was fighting the monster. From what Rowan could discern, the woman's form was split in half, her skin half black and half silver, mirroring her hair.

He didn't recognize the woman, but that was inconsequential for now. What mattered was that the creature was occupied with her.

Rowan shook his head and swiftly returned to his men. "This is our chance; the monster is distracted... Prepare the barrels," he whispered.

The men efficiently placed the barrels on the ground in an organized manner. Two men approached the barrels, forming a circle with their hands while reciting incantations.

Soon, bright orange spheres materialized inside their hands. Rowan watched with a mix of hope and anxiety as the two men affixed the orange spheres to the barrels.

'I hope this works.'

In less than three minutes, all fifteen barrels were adorned with energy balls.

"Okay, let's do this." Rowan stood close to the barrels, with three men behind him placing their palms on his back.

Channeling their mana to Rowan, he activated his magical ability [Telekinesis].

Using it, Rowan lifted five of the fifteen barrels and hurled them into the air. There was no need for precision, not with the massive figure of The Unwanted.

BOOM!

The moment the barrels collided with its back, a resounding boom echoed. The barrels contained flammable oil, with the energy spheres acting as a trigger.

WEIII!

The explosion damaged The Unwanted, causing significant holes in its grotesque form. Yet, that wasn't Rowan's primary objective.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

He turned to the barrels, extracting the orange energy spheres from four of them. Utilizing his [Telekinesis] with his men supplying mana, he flung the four barrels at the creature, covering its back with oil.

"Burn in hell." Eyes filled with hatred Rowan threw the fifth barrel; this barrel was covered in energy spheres, and when that barrel hit the creature, it immediately exploded, creating a massive burst of flames that engulfed The Unwanted.

"YES!"

"We did it"

"Die monster!"

The men behind him shouted in triumph as the fiery explosion consumed The Unwanted. The flames danced and roared, casting long, flickering shadows stretching across the battlefield.

"Grrr." Freya growled in annoyance. She didn't appreciate the interference in her fight. The Unwanted was her prey, hers alone.

However, shaking her head, Freya understood that this wasn't the time to act this way. No matter how much she hated it, this creature needed to be killed immediately.

'Grr! Annoying. It keeps healing all the damage I do to it.' With a deep breath, Freya refocused on the battle.

WEIII!

The Unwanted, now engulfed in flames, writhed in pain. Its twisted form contorted as it attempted to extinguish the fire consuming it.

Then, suddenly, its form began to shrink, The creature brought its gray tentacles to its mouth, forcibly opening it wide.

RIIIEEAA!

"!!!" A haunting wail emanated from the gaping maw of The Unwanted, a sound that echoed through the battlefield, chilling the very souls of those who heard it.

A creature emerged from within.

"Tsk…this is bad." Freya jumped backward, creating some distance from The Unwanted.

"What the hell is that?!" one of Rowan's men exclaimed, his voice tinged with panic.

"Another one!!"

"Oh God, please help us," a third muttered, his eyes wide with terror.

From the gaping maw of The Unwanted emerged a new horror, a creature born from the darkness that lurked within. It writhed and contorted, taking the shape of a Bird.

Feathers as black as the void, the bird was immense, its extended wings measuring 8 or 10 meters. Yet, two peculiarities stood out about this Bird.

First, it lacked a head. Instead, a long white beak followed the neck, above which was a human skull fused with the creature. The skull's eye sockets glowed with an eerie, malevolent purple light.

The second anomaly was its legs. Instead of typical bird legs with claws, the creature possessed twisted, elongated human arms with the hands acting as claws.

Rowan and his men, who moments ago were celebrating the success of their attack, now stared in horror at the new abomination before them. One of them couldn't even look for long before vomiting and then losing consciousness.

"What in the Aspect's name is that?" Rowan muttered, his voice barely audible.

The creature, born from the depths of The Unwanted, spread its wings, casting a shadow over the battlefield. The eerie purple glow from the skull's eye sockets illuminated its grotesque form.

Freya, who stood back, prepared herself to engage this new threat. However, the bird-like creature extended its wings and swiftly took flight, avoiding her, and making its way to the rear.

"!!!" Rowan instantly noticed this, turning to his men.

"WATCH OUT!"

BOOM!

The bird crashed through the building, seizing four men with its human-like claws. The men struggled in vain as the creature lifted them into the air. The bird's actions were swift, and the screams of the captured men echoed in the air.

"NO!" Rowan exclaimed in horror as he observed the bird swiftly returning to The Unwanted with extraordinary speed.

"AHHHH!" The men wailed as The Unwanted opened its maw, receiving them. The bird immediately circled, targeting Rowan and the men again.

"Scatter! Don't let it grab you!" Rowan yelled, desperation evident in his voice. The remaining men scattered, attempting to evade the relentless pursuit of the bird-like creature.

Freya, having witnessed this horrifying turn of events, opted to intercept the creature. She jumped towards it with unmatched speed, her red draconic claws ready to slice.

The bird-like creature, sensing Freya's approach, retracted his giant wings and began to rotate around itself like a spinning top. The movement created a whirlwind effect, causing Freya to miss it entirely.

"Grrr…Damn!"

The Bird successfully evaded Freya, resuming its hunt for Rowan and the men. However, something unexpected occurred.

RIIIEEAA!

The Bird-like creature abruptly ceased, emitting an eerie wail from his long beak and the human skull.

Suspended mid-air, his left wing suddenly began to grow at an unnatural speed, the growth wasn't the type of making the wing bigger or anything, but it made the wing turn into something akin to a ball, the growth kept going until…

SPLASH!!!

The wing exploded, showering the battlefield with a black viscous substance. And it didn't stop there. The rest of the bird suffered the same fate, growing until it became a giant ball of flesh, exploding and dousing everything in that substance, or perhaps its blood.

Freya wiped her face from that black fluid, pondering what had happened. Yet, her thoughts were interrupted by the high-pitched cry of The Unwanted. Looking back, she saw some of its gray tentacles growing at the same rapid pace as the bird.

"Tsk"

Unwilling to conclude her hunt like this, Freya dashed toward The Unwanted, aiming to end the creature before it exploded.

"Grr…I need a weapon." When she faced The Unwanted previously, Freya's claws were sharp enough, but for a creature this size, she needed something substantial.

WHOOOSHH!

As if reading her thoughts, an object hurtled through the air toward The Unwanted at breakneck speed.

Freya grinned when she saw the object. It was Nightfall.

Leaping high into the air, Freya allowed Nightfall to propel her towards the creature. As she closed in, Freya grabbed Nightfall by the hilt, creating a spin in the air to enhance the force of her swing.

"UGHAAA!"

CRASH!

Nightfall's blade collided with the growing mass of The Unwanted, slicing through the flesh and causing an eruption of black viscous substance. Freya, using the momentum, continued her assault, slashing through the abomination with powerful strikes.

WEIII!

The creature howled in agony, unable to fight back, only accepting its fate.

"Die!...abomination," Freya roared, her crimson draconic eye ablaze with determination.

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

With potent strikes, the creature was cleaved into pieces, each blow resulting in eruptions of the black substance that stained the battlefield. Freya's relentless assault persisted until the creature lay motionless, reduced to a grotesque heap.

AWOOO!

Freya howled in victory, standing above her vanquished foe. Panting heavily, she looked up to see a man she knew and loved descending with a smile on his face.

"Well done My wolf."

Hearing this, Freya beamed with pride, her red and blue eyes reflecting a mix of emotions—relief, joy—seeing her Alpha standing before her.

She quickly noticed the wounds on his figure and the significant hole in his heart. She wanted to ask if he was okay, but Aron raised his hand, pointing in a certain direction.

"I left Raum and a little girl in that place. Bring them here, and fast," Aron said, his voice filled with urgency and concern.

Freya nodded, and without hesitation, she dashed toward the location. Her Alpha had given an order, and as Beta, she must obey no matter what.

Seeing her depart, Aron shifted his gaze to the ground, slowly descending through the cracks. He found himself in a vast space underground. His crimson eyes scanned the area until he found what he sought.

"Cough…you came," a whisper echoed in the silent air.

"Of course, I'll always find you," Aron spoke gently, leaning closer to the blond girl on the ground.

Pethra broke into a soft, silent cry when she heard his voice. His appearance had changed, but she recognized him.

"A-Aron…I don't want to die."

She was feeling immense pain—from the holes in her palms to the broken jaw and teeth—but the greatest pain came from the inside. Pethra sensed the shattering of her mana veins, realizing that her life as a mage was over.

Aron's eyes softened as he knelt beside her, gently stroking her hair.

"Do you trust me, little witch?" he asked.

"With my life," Pethra responded instantly.

Flashing a smile, Aron brought his face close to hers, biting his lips, letting the blood drip, he kissed her.

"Hmm!!.." Pethra's eyes widened at this sudden kiss. She didn't expect it, not in this situation and certainly not with this terrible appearance. But looks didn't matter much to Aron; for him, Pethra would always be beautiful in his eyes, just like his other treasures. He loved them all.

'What!' Pethra felt a peculiar warmth spreading through her as their lips met. The kiss was not just a gesture of affection; it was a transfer of something profound. Aron's Blood; The Dragon Blood.

'Give her everything,' Aron commanded the beast inside him.

He kept giving Pethra all of his mana and blood without holding back. The draconic transformation began to fade, and he failed to notice that [Pride] Duration was over.

Immediately after, Aron fell unconscious next to Pethra, who was busy enduring the intense healing of her wounds and mana veins.